The Webs We Weave
by Frodo Liv3s
Summary: Well, it all begins with a secret love letter to our favourite angst-ridden hobbit, and it just builds up from there. Expect love triangles, no, love POLYGONS, misunderstandings, slash of all kinds, and more. Read. You're in for a bumpy ride.
1. Frodo's Got Mail

Author's Note: Alright, I'll start this with saying that...I love Shakespeare, and I love Tolkien, and when you smoosh 'em together, you get...Tolspeare, or Shakien...O_o...Or maybe just lots of love triangles, misunderstandings, and other deliciously good and yummy stuff. There will probably be a lot of slash, seeing as it would be hard to do het relationships with only, like, 2 available girls. So, WARNING: If you don't like slash, as in male/male relationships, then DO NOT READ THIS. Honestly. It would be DUMB. Oh, and this is mook verse. Movie AND book. Cuz I like some movie stuff, and some book stuff. And plus, it might, JUST MIGHT, make everyone a bit happy...

Setting: Oh, you know, that space of undefined time between Council of Elrond and Caradhras. October 25-January 11. (Gotta love Appendix B)

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings.

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                The quest was treacherous. The task, near impossible. The consequence if the task failed was perilous, and Frodo Baggins tried not to think about that right now. It would keep him from much-needed rest.

                The day had been tedious and tiring. The Council of Elrond was long and heated, and it ended in the decision that Frodo knew was inevitable: He was to carry the One Ring to Mount Doom, in Mordor. He didn't want to imagine this. The Ring was heavy enough in Rivendell, and he had already acquired a wound that would never heal. He knew there would be several more before the journey was over.

                The young hobbit rolled over in the oversized bed he slept in. It smelled sweet, like flowers after rain, or maybe cakes baking in the winter. Honey on a hot day. Frodo sighed. Why couldn't he just stay here forever?

                A sharp pain hit his shoulder and he moaned, then jumped nearly off the bed, for he heard a sharp gasp. Frodo cried, "Who's there?"

                A face came out of the darkness, shadows cast eerily over its features. Frodo backed away from it, fearing the worst...spies of Sauron...aids of Saruman...The figure placed an icy cold hand on Frodo's arm, and spoke.

                "I-I'm so terribly sorry, Mr. Frodo," came the soothing voice of Samwise Gamgee, "I was just...I wanted to...I thought you were 'sleep, I need to check on you, is all. Make sure you're okay and ev'rythin', you know..."

                Frodo could not see the red on Sam's tanned face, but heard it in his voice nonetheless. "Oh, Sam..." Frodo said, smiling. "It's fine, perfectly fine. You just frightened me. I don't feel comfortable in the dark anymore..."

                "Neither do I, Mr. Frodo," Sam said, smile-speaking. 

                "Sam...where've you been? You're frozen!" Frodo asked, noticing the cold hand still on his arm.

                "Oh!" The gardener quickly took his hand back, startled and more flustered than he was before. "I was...oh, you know...Off talking with...your uncle there, Mr. Bilbo, he's...I've always liked him, you know. And it's cold out, and his room is far from mine, and, well..." Sam trailed off, backing away from the side of the bed.

                "It's late," Frodo pointed out. "Why are you up?"

                "Well, you are," Sam said, then: "Oh! Mr. Frodo, I'm sorry, I shouldn't've--"

                "SAM! Please, stop apologizing. You make a good point."

                Frodo felt Sam smile. "I should be leavin' now. You go on to sleep, Mr. Frodo. It's late." And with that, Sam left.

                The young hobbit turned over in his bed again, feeling happier. 'I'm so lucky to have Sam with me...And all the others, too.' he thought. He breathed in the sugar smell again, and fell fast asleep.

~              *                ~                *                ~                *                ~

                Frodo awoke to birds singing and the rustle of leaves. The sun shone through the gauzy curtains and cast a warm, orange-yellow light in the room. Slowly, slowly, he placed his feet on the cold wooden floor. Then he saw it.

                An envelope fluttered to the floor.

                He looked at it quizzically, wondering where it could possibly have come from. Bending over, he picked it up, and carefully, carefully, opened the seal and removed the folded piece of paper. 

"Dear Frodo,

                "I can't hide my feelings for you. I think I feel something for you that isn't considered right among many, but I feel it just the same. Frodo Baggins, I feel that I'm quite in love with you. I needed to let you know, because if I didn't tell anyone, then I fear I would lose my mind.

                "But you'll understand why I am not telling you my name, I hope. I did not want you to feel uncomfortable around me, because I know you do not feel how I do. We need to be comfortable around each other for our long journey ahead. 

                "With Love."

                "This is for me?!" Frodo mumbled to himself. "A...a...a love letter...for me?!" 

~              *                ~                *                ~                *                ~

A/N: Go exposition! So, do you like it? Sorry if you don't, but please no flames. I don't handle criticism very well...Like, you can tell me where I need to fix things, but don't say it sucks...:-/...Even if it does...Oh, and sorry the title sucks, I'm sure I'll think of a better one further in.


	2. Merry's Discovery

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                Frodo let the letter fall from his hands as he sat down promptly on the bed. 'A _love_ letter?' he thought. 'I don't believe it…' He read the words again. It was definitely addressed to him. Who could it be?

                His mind began reeling. It was someone in the Fellowship; he knew that much, for the anonymous writer had said that he was going on the quest, too. Well, that narrowed it down quite nicely. Only 8 to choose from. But other than that, he had nowhere to begin.

                'I suppose I will just have to keep an eye out, and look for clues,' Frodo decided. 

                "Frodo?" the voice startled him out of his intensive ponderings. 

                "Oh, good morning, Merry," Frodo said, hiding the letter under his pillow quickly. He turned around. "What is it?"

                "I was told to tell you that breakfast is ready, down in Elrond's nice hall," Merry said, looking confused. "But you seemed rather intrigued in something, so intrigued that you didn't answer me the first two times that I called you name. What was it?"

                "Nothing!" Frodo answered, too quickly. "Nothing at all. I was just tired."

                "Ah…" Merry said, nodding skeptically. "Then…what was it you hid under your pillow?"

                "Simply a bag of herbs," Frodo lied. 

                "Alright then," he shrugged. Merry knew he wouldn't get anything out of Frodo. "Well, get yourself dressed and hurry on down to breakfast, or there won't be any left."

                "Right, I'll see you," Frodo said. Merry left and Frodo dressed himself, then left his room and headed to the dining hall.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 

                Merry watched as Frodo left his room, hidden behind a bush nearby. Checking to make sure that no one was around, he quickly and quietly tip-toed to the door of Frodo's room. He opened the knob silently, walked in, then shut the door slowly. He walked over to the bed. The comforter and sheets were still wrinkled and untidy, as Frodo had not made the bed that morning. 

Merry moved his eyes to the pillow, carefully lifting it. He saw an envelope, and a piece of folded paper beside it. The paper rustled slightly as he picked it up.

He began to read. As he did, his eyes widened. "'Frodo Baggins, I feel that I'm quite in love with you'?!" Merry muttered to himself. "Who wrote this?!" 

Footsteps were heard, coming closer to the door of Frodo's room. Merry panicked and stuffed the letter in his breeches pocket, then jumped out of a conveniently open window. He hid in the bushes and listened until he heard the maids leave Frodo's room. 'They must come during breakfast to make beds and such,' Merry said to himself. 'Guess Pip and I needn't make our beds every morning, then.' 

And then, he strolled off towards the dining hall. Perhaps he could get some leftovers. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

         "Oi! Merry!" Merry heard his cousin, Pippin, calling. He saw the young, brown haired hobbit sitting at a table near the end of the hall. There was a seat saved next to him. 

                "Hullo there, Pip," Merry said, sitting down next to his younger cousin.

                "Why are you late to breakfast?" Pippin asked, handing him a plate of bacon.

                "Oh." Merry took some bacon and put it on his plate, then reached for the eggs. "I was in Frodo's room, telling him breakfast was ready."

                "That can't've taken too long," Pippin said. "Unless Frodo was extra sleepy…"

                "No," Merry said, setting down the plate of eggs. "But I found _this_ under his pillow after he left." Merry reached into his pocket and pulled out the letter. "Read it!" 

                Pippin did, and a look of confusion came over his face. "Wow," he said finally, folding it up and handing it back to Merry. "Looks like someone fancies our Frodo quite a bit."

                "I know! It's excellent. I only wish I knew who it was…" Merry reached for the basket of rolls.

                Pippin shrugged. "It's not really our business."

                Merry cocked an eyebrow at him, but then shrugged too. "I suppose you're right, Pip." He reached over and patted his cousin on the shoulder. "You're growin' up fast."

                They ate the rest of their meal in silence. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

                Sam stood up from his table and walked out the door of Elrond's dining hall. He put his hands in his pockets and strolled down the path, letting the wonderfully golden morning sun shine on his tanned gardener's face. It wasn't until he heard a laugh that he noticed Merry and Pippin, several feet in front of him.

                He was about to call out to them, when he saw something flutter out of Merry's pocket. Merry didn't seem to notice. Sam was about to cry, "Hey, Brandybuck, you dropped something!" when the two cousins rounded a corner and walked out of sight.

                Sam ambled up to the thing he had seen fall out of Merry's pocket. He looked at it, and realized that it was a letter. 'Well, I'll just keep it until I see Merry, then I'll give it to him,' he told himself. 

                He picked up the piece of paper and began to unfold it, then thought: 'Samwise, you nosy fool, don't go readin' other people's mail. It's not kind.' But curiosity got the better of him, and he open it and began to read. 

                His eyes widen and his face fell as he began to read. He slowly brought his hands down and said aloud, "Mr. Merry loves my Mr. Frodo?!"  

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

A/N: So, chapter two! Hope you like it, everyone. Please review. I do like my reviews. ^_^ 

FuschiaDoorsKick: Teehee. I'm glad you like this. Go love triangles! Yeah, it doesn't work too well to write fics in notebooks, cuz then you need to retype them. And that's boring work. ^_^ 

Ranal Peredhil: XD I'm glad you like the title. It doesn't suck as much as I thought it was going to…I wrote the fic before I named it, so…Yeah. And you're right. Love lines aren't as good as love triangles. Love lines are just boring and fluffy. Gotta have love triangles, or life isn't interesting!!! I hope you like this chapter. 


	3. The Process of Elimination

A/N: What can I say…I'm amusing myself. ^_^ *members of Fellowship glare at Shannon* Sorry guys…*Tolkien goes into spin cycle in his grave* Sorry O Great One…J

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                Frodo was back in his room after breakfast, lying on his bed. He was still thinking about the letter. Who could it be? There were 8 possibilities: Sam, Pippin, Merry, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf. 

                Could it be Gandalf? 'No,' he told himself. 'Gandalf is old, and would never take an interest in _me_. Besides…I'm not sure that Gandalf even loves in that way. And even if he did, I doubt that he would reveal it, especially by way of a secret letter.'

                What about Legolas? 'I doubt that. Legolas is an elf and I am a silly hobbit. And besides, we have known each other for only a few weeks.'

                Possibly Gimli? 'The dwarf is like Gandalf. He most likely does not love. Even if he did, I would not know; we have not talked to each other much.'

                Maybe it was Boromir. 'I highly doubt it. The writer said he did not want me to feel uncomfortable, and the man is already succeeding wonderfully at that.'

                Aragorn? 'No…I do believe he loves another. An elf woman. He would not fancy me.'

                That left his three kinsmen: Merry, Pippin, and Sam. 'It isn't Merry. His wonder at what I was doing this morning was genuine, not forced. I believe he did not know what I was looking at, and the letter-writer would.

                'I don't think that it is Pippin, either. He is a young hobbit, and naïve. I'm not sure he loves like that yet.'

                That left…"Sam!" Frodo cried out aloud. "Of course!" It made perfect sense. After all, Sam _had_ been in his room the night the letter appeared. And when he found that Frodo was awake, he had been more flustered than he should have been if he was just checking on him.

                Frodo sighed contentedly, strangely happy that it was Sam who wrote the letter. Just to make sure, though, Frodo reached under the pillow to find the letter and see if it was his old Samwise's handwriting. 

                Before he could get it, though, a knock came at his door. "Frodo, my lad!" came the voice of Bilbo Baggins. "Are you in there?"

                Frodo withdrew his hand quickly and sat up. "Come in, Bilbo!" he cried back, happy to see his uncle anytime. 

                The old hobbit walked in with a bundle in his arms. Though happy to see Bilbo, Frodo sighed. Bilbo surely had many things to show him and to talk about still, and it would be a long time before he would be alone to look at the letter. 'Oh well…' thought Frodo. 'Soon enough…'

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

                Sam stormed off to his room, clenched the letter in his hands. _How_ could Mr. Merry love Mr. Frodo? _How_ was that possible? Why? 

                He flung open the door and sat down hard on the bed. He rested his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands. That Brandybuck…How could he…Stupid Merry…

                'Why am I thinking these things?' Sam thought suddenly. 'Why am I this angry? I should be happy that someone loves Mr. Frodo. There's no reason not to love him. Why am I angry.

                Then, a small voice in the back of his head said to him, 'Because, maybe, Samwise Gamgee, _you _love Mr. Frodo.'

                A look of anxiety washed over his face and he flung himself backward on the bed, so his feet were on the floor but his back was on the bed. 'Samwise…you fool…' 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

                It was nighttime. The stars were bright but the moon was not yet out. It was hard to see, and he was quite lost. Clutching the letter firmly in his hands, he walked only following the path and turned when he crashed into a bush or tripped on a rock. 

                He shivered. It was cold, here in Rivendell, and he had forgotten to wear his cloak. Of course, he didn't think he'd be out here this long. He thought the moon would be out like it had been last time, and that he would have been able to find his way to beautiful Frodo's room.

                Of course, he thought wrong. He tripped over a rock and stumbled, but kept his balance. Now, where was that cursed path? He felt around with his feet and finally felt stone, so he walked forward and came to some stairs.

                Stairs! Like the ones in front of Frodo's lodging. He began climbing them and reached a door, which he quietly, quietly, quietly opened. He slipped in, then shuffled carefully, hands in front of him, until he felt a bed.

                When he did, he took the letter and placed it lightly on the bed. Peregrin Took sighed. It was done. Now, he just needed to find his way back. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

                Aragorn only thought it was a dream and nothing else: The sound of large hobbit feet shuffling across the floor, the feeling of a light paper placed on his side. It wasn't, however. But he would never know. Because he never got to actually read the letter. Someone got to it before he could. And that someone was Arwen Evenstar, the woman he held and kissed that very evening.

                And when she found it, she was _not _happy.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

A/N: Wow. Two pages this time. Did I do that last time? *shrug* I'm happy now that I have begun incorporating members other than hobbits. I mean, I love a hobbit-love-fest as much as the next Pervy Hobbit Fancier, but this is supposed to be like, UBER love triangley. Anyways. So now I have a lot of the plot all planned out, and it makes things easier. I'm going to write up to the point where I stopped planning, and then we'll see what happens. I might plan more, or I might start asking for suggestions. J Anyways. Review, please. I like them.    

Ranal Peredhil: ^_^ I'm so glad you like it! Love squares ARE amusing, but so are Love PENTAGONS!!! *giggles at this chapter* I'm having WAY too much fun with this. I'm scared the Ghost of Tolkien's going to slaughter me in my sleep…XD I hope you like this chapter!

FuschiaDoorsKick: Heh. Sorry I'm updating late tonight, it's just…damn disctractions. Ya know? Stupid Shamon. Oh, and the pad is finito. ^_^ 


	4. Nosy Elves and Hobbit Fancies

A/N: GUESS WHAT. It's 3 AM! And I'm JUST starting to write this! Are you all SO proud of me?! *smiles largely* This better be read, because I'm slaving away writing this and you should just READ IT. I don't care if you review, but read it, because…you should.

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                Arwen smiled secretly to herself as she padded up the steps to Aragorn's room. Oh, how he would be surprised to see her in the middle of the night! She held the lantern closer to her face and shivered, drawing her shawl around her.

                The elf maiden moved silently and quickly, as elves do, and slipped into her love's bedroom. She heard his breathing, soft and long, with a slight snort now and then. She chuckled to herself, then glided over to the man's bed. 

                He was very handsome in the dim light of the lantern she held, Arwen thought. She put a perfectly curved, ageless elven hand to his scarred and unshaven cheek. She smiled and shivered a little at the touch, then sat down noiselessly on the edge of his bed. 

                'He must be very tired,' thought Arwen, 'if he has not noticed my presence yet. He is usually very alert when he sleeps.'  

                She rested her hand on his thigh. What muscular, strong thigh…Wait! What was this? 

                She picked up a piece of paper that had been on Aragorn's leg. 'What is this?' She held up her lantern to it, and saw that it was an envelope. Quickly, the elf looked back at Aragorn, who was still fast asleep. She stood up and slipped outside to read the letter. 

                Her long fingernails slipped under the flap and she pulled out a folded piece of paper. When she unfolded it, she read to herself:

"My love:

                "I just wanted to write to you, and tell you how I love your beautiful dark brown hair. So dark brown, it is like black. Black like the night sky, black like a bird, black like anything beautiful that is black. 

                "I am sorry for not telling you my name, but as I have said, the Fellowship must be comfortable around eachother. 

                "Love, ?"

                Arwen let the letter fall from her hands. A look of dismay came upon her face. Someone else was after her love. Before the thought "Who is it?" even finished being said in her mind, another thought yelled, "_Legolas_!" 

                'Oh, of course,' she thought. 'I have seen them together. Legolas is always looking at Aragorn peculiarly. And he is the Fellowship.' She bit her lip. 'And Aragorn sometimes returns them…'

                Well, Arwen could not let a tall elf with a pretty face get in the way of her love for Aragorn. Completely forgetting about her original plan of visiting Aragorn in the night, she silently ran back to her own room, where she would figure out how to get Legolas away from Aragorn. 

~              *              ~              *              ~              *              ~

"Legolas:

                "I am sorry, but I do not love you. I cannot, for I love another. I have received your message, and it is not returned by the same feeling. I am sorry. 

                "With all respect, Aragorn."

                The letter was perfect. Arwen admired her handiwork. 'Perfect,' she thought. 'This'll do what I need done.' She stood up and went in the direction of Legolas's room, to deliver her letter of denial. She had a smile on her face.

~              *              ~              *              ~              *              ~

                It was bright and early in Rivendell. The sun was shining through the window of Merry and Pippin's room, and the older hobbit lay on his bed thinking. 

                This talk of fancying people had gotten Merry thinking. There was something he had been feeling since they had gotten to Rivendell, but he couldn't quite place it. Until now. 

                He remembered the first time he saw him…How the embers flared and illuminated the mouth and nose of the hooded figure, how he had grabbed Frodo and the other 3 hobbits chased after him. How explained everything, and how he was so trustable. He knew so much but was so mysterious, so elusive. Enigmatic. Merry smiled at the very thought of it. 

                Pippin returned from his bath and saw the grin on Merry's face. "What's on your mind, Merry?" Pippin said, drying his hair with some cloth. 

                "Oh, nothin'," Merry said, sitting up and looking at Pippin.

                "Then…why do you have a goofy grin upon your face?" Pippin looked at him quizzically. "If I didn't know better I'd say you were--" Pippin stopped abruptly and turned around, intently drying his hair. (It was surely dry by now.)

                "You'd say I was what, Pip?" Merry asked. "Hungry? Tired? What?"

                Pippin turned around and saw his cousin, with that grin still plastered on his face. 'I should avoid this subject,' Pippin told himself. 'I don't want anything to slip…'

                The grin grew wider, and Pippin couldn't help his curiosity anymore. He let a mischievous smile grow on his face. "Does my Merry have a little bit of a fancy?" (A/N: LOVE that phrase) 

                Merry lay back down on the bed, putting his hands behind his head and crossing his feet. "Maybe I do, and maybe I don't."

                "Oh come on," Pippin prodded. "Out with it."

                "I'll let you guess. And if you're wrong, I'll tell you."

                "Fine…Any clues?"

                "Hmm…he's tall."

                "Um…Is it…Legolas?" 

                Merry shook his head.

                "Okay…Boromir?"

                Again, Merry gestured no.

                "Well, I don't think it's Gandalf, and Gimli is short, so," Pippin paused, "you fancy Strider."

                Merry looked up at Pippin and smiled. "I believe I rather do."

~              *              ~              *              ~              *              ~

A/N: The plot thickens… Okay,  I need some suggestions. What's something Merry and Pippin can fight about? Cuz I need something. It's crucial to a…er…crucial part of the story? O_o  

Oh, and just so you all don't get TOO creeped out. Merry simply has a hobbit crush. It most likely won't amount to anything. Frankly, Merry/Aragorn would be sort of…weird…I just needed someone for Merry to fancy. ^_^ 

Okay, I'm not doing individual responses for this chapter right now. I have a LOT of thoughts (ALL PARTAINING TO LOTR! Who knew!) floating through my head right now, and I just can't concentrate, but I DO wanna post this chapter for ya'll. So here tis.


	5. Elf Angst and Hobbit Quarells

**A/N: **Sorry I'm not updating a lot! I just started another story (which isn't up yet, but will be soon, I'm trying to finish it before I post it) and so I got kinda wrapped up in it. I actually had the fourth chapter done for quite a long time, and then I just never had the energy to post it…ON WITH THE FIC!!!

*          *          *

            It was rather early in the morning when Legolas awoke. He always awoke early in the mornings, to see the sunrise. Now that he was in Rivendell, he was especially delighted, because he could actually see the sun moving up in the sky. Back in Mirkwood, the trees often hid it. But that was all right with him too, because he also loved the trees. Probably more than he loved the sun. And the sunlight streaming through the trees in the early morning was the greatest wonder Legolas had ever known.

            But it was a treat to be in Rivendell and to be able to see the sun actually _rise_. 

            As he watched the sun rise from the window of his room, he tried to recall his dreams. There was one about Aragorn, but there was one of those just about every night. Nothing new there. He thought he might have had a dream about a bird in a tree. And then…the most vague whisper of a dream…

            He recalled images. A figure slipping into his room, clutching a paper in their hands. Looking at him, and murmuring softly, "I'm sorry, Legolas." Then, leaving, soft as water on a gentle brook.

            Legolas tried to recall the figure's face, but could not. He shrugged a shrug that only elves shrug and looked at his bed.

            And there was a letter!

            He picked it up carefully and examined it thoroughly before opening. He slowly, cautiously pulled out a folded piece of paper, and unfolded it so slowly one might think the Elf thought it was made of something explosive. And if one was quite metaphorical, then one might think the letter _was_ explosive. Because this letter was from a certain Aragorn, son of Arathorn, whom Legolas had been quite smitten by since he first met him. 

            And this letter shot down all hopes of ever being able to love him. 

            Legolas actually felt the colour drop from his face. His hands shook and the letter fluttered to the ground. He felt a tear spring to his eye, and he let it roll down his cheek and drop off at his chin. Thoughts ran through his head. He had gotten his message? Had he really been that obvious? Who was the other that he loved? Maybe they would one day fall out of love and then…

'No,' Legolas told himself. 'You're being selfish. Stop thinking.' Then he picked up the letter, ripped it quite calmly, and placed it carefully into one of the drawers in his bureau. Then, wiping away his tears, he began to pack.

            They were leaving the next day and he would have plenty of time to pack, but he needed something to take away the hurt.

*          *          *

            Merry and Pippin sat alone in their room, quite bored. The day was going to be long, because of the anticipation of the trip the next day. The two hobbits had been silent for a long time, just sitting and thinking. Merry thought the silence would suffocate him if he didn't speak soon, so he said the first thing that came to his mind:

            "So, Pip. D'you fancy anyone?"

            Pippin's face turned bright red as he shook his head violently. "No! Of course not!"

            "Oh, I bet you do!" Merry turned to Pippin, his eyes bright. "Just look at the way you turned red! Come on. Out with it!"

            "I don't fancy anyone, Meriadoc," Pippin said through clenched teeth. He walked over to his bed where some of his garments were laid out, and he began folding them and putting them in his pack. He turned his back to Merry.

            "Oh, sure, Pippin," Merry said sarcastically. "Come on! I told you who _I_ fancy!"

            "Merry! I don't fancy _anyone_!"

            "Let me guess who it is…" Merry tapped a finger on his chin. He hopped off of his bed and ran over to Pippin's, where he sat down quite promptly with a gleam in his eyes.

            "I know! You fancy ME!" Merry beamed, obviously joking.

            "Merry, that's disgusting," Pippin said. He threw a pair of breeches at him. "Who would _ever_ fancy you?!"

            "I'm sure a lot of people do," Merry stuck his jaw out defiantly, then went straight back to guessing position. "Let's see…who could it be…I bet that it's…"

            He paused and looked Pippin straight in the eye.

            "Frodo!"

            Pippin turned even more red, extending from the very tips of his ears to his neck. 

            "It IS Frodo!" Merry shouted. "Isn't it. It is! _You're_ the one sending those letters, aren't you!"

            "_NO_!" Pippin shouted, now stuffing things randomly in the back. 

            "Pippin and Frodo, sitting in a--"

            "Shut UP, Merry!"

            "I'm going to go tell him right now you fancy him!"

            "Merry! I do NOT fancy Frodo!"

            "Uh-huh. Sure, Pip." Merry got up and headed towards the door. "Would you like me to pick up a flower to give to him? Say it's from you?"

            "MERRY! _Don't_!" Pippin jumped after him.

            "And how would you like me to tell him? I could say, 'So, Frodo, Pip wants me to tell you--'"

            "I'll tell Strider!"

            Merry stopped short. "You wouldn't," he breathed.

            "Oh, I would!" There was a flame in Pippin's eyes. 

            Merry sighed, angered. "I won't tell Frodo," Merry murmured. The flame in his friend's eye didn't disappear, though.

            "I can't believe you, Merry!" Pippin cried. There were tears in his eyes. "You've always been the _nosiest _hobbit that I have _ever_ met! You have NO respect of other people's feelings! I _hate _you! I don't want to be friends with such an insensitive dotard!!"

            Merry's eyebrows furrowed. Both of the hobbits were angry now. "FINE!" Merry shouted. "I don't want to be friends with _you_, either! Because _you_ are immature and whiny, and won't tell _any_one _any_thing! I doubt you even _trust_ me! I won't be friends with someone who isn't honest."

            "FINE THEN!" Pippin yelled. He grabbed his sack that he had been packing and stomped out of the room, slamming the carved elven door as hard as he could. Had it been a normal door, it might have shattered. (Luckily, it was an elven door, so it didn't.)

            Then it was quiet. Merry stood panting in the middle of the room. The air was still tense and hate-filled. He could barely breath. He ran out of the room, too.

            And ran straight into a certain tall man with long brown hair called Aragorn. Or more affectionately known as Strider.

*          *          *

            "Greetings, Meriadoc," Strider said in his regal, velvety voice. The man's forehead was creased with concern. "What is troubling you?"

            Merry noticed he was, in fact, crying. He hastily wiped the tears away and shook his head. "I'm fine."

            "Oh, Merry…" Strider's voice was so soothing, that Merry had to work hard to keep from falling into him. Strider suddenly took his hand in his own large, strong hand and led him into what used to be Merry and Pippin's bedroom. The man lifted the crying hobbit and set him down on the bed. He sat next to him.

            "What's wrong?" Strider asked, his voice soft and smooth.

            Merry shook his head. "Nothing. It's nothing." How could he tell Strider what was wrong? 

            "Something _must_ be wrong. Adults do not weep for no reason."

            Merry felt his heart jump. Strider recognized him as an adult, not merely a child!

            "Please, Merry…Tell me what is wrong."

            Merry wasn't able to resist any longer. He let out a small whimper, mumbled, "Oh, Strider," and fell into him, wrapping his arms around the man's body. 

            At first, Strider was quite taken aback. _Why_ was the halfling hugging him? Utterly confused, he returned the hug, gently embracing the small hobbit. 'He must be nervous about our journey,' he told himself.

            The two did not break apart for a long time.

            The hug was innocent enough. Merry was under a lot of pressure, and Strider had served nothing less than what he thought was a fatherly figure to the Fellowship. It was his place to comfort. 

            But taken out of context, the hug might have seemed like a little bit more, for Merry's face was completely euphoric and full of love.

            Strider couldn't see his face, of course.

            But someone else did.

            And that someone would be our favourite nosy elf, Arwen.

            She gasped, as she saw the face of the hobbit embracing her love. Then she muttered to herself, "Ah…so it's the hobbit, eh? Well! We'll see about _that_…"

*          *          *

            A/N: w00t for fifth chapter! This is the longest fic I've ever written. Cool, no?

            Psycho Frodos: Hehe, I'm glad you like the story! And give ideas all you want! I have a basic structure, but that can always change, if I like the ideas more than mine. Oh dear. Eggshells in the eggs? NEVER good. ^_^

            Breon Briarwood: Yes, yes, the feels will start soon, patience, patience…XD

            Ranal Peredhil: Thank you so much for your lovely reviews! They make meh feel all warm and fuzzay inside! O_o Gald to know your grade in math went up. *teehee* I wish fan fics made MY grades in math go up…*grumble*f**king quadratics…*grumblewhinemoan* ^_^ Hope you like this chapter!!

            YYHgurl: You ALMOST got it right. I really love making things seem one way and then yanking them in the other direction…XD Hope you like this chapter(s)!

            FuschiaDoorsKick: w00t for long posts! This one's pretty damn long. 

            Amanda greenleaf: Glad you like. ^_^

            Hersheyhugs: Ah, yes! Food: THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING! Now that ya mention it, I'm hungry too…unfortunately, we have like ZERO food in our house…edible food that is…all we have is like, powdered stuff, frozen stuff, or syrup stuff. WOAH, sorry, tangent. Well, I found something for Merry and Pippin to find over. But thanks for thinking about it! ^_^

            


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